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Want to go to the newest wine event in Spokane? Here is your chance. Vintage Spokane needs your help in getting the word out. By simply becoming their marketing force you can qualify to win 2 tickets to the June 5 event. Details on how to participate and qualify are in the last paragraph of this post. What is Vintage Spokane? In 2010 we learned that the Washington Wine Commission was no longer going to host the popular Taste Washington event in Spokane. The long running event gave Spokane residents a way to explore and enjoy the wine from over […]

I thought about titling this post, “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” or “Mas Tequila.” There was even a little snicker as I thought about Pee Wee Herman dancing to “Tequila” in a biker bar in the movie Pee Wee Herman’s Great Adventure. Alas, none of that either happened or made sense for this post. The reason…we’re not talking about Tequila, we’re talking about Mezcal. As a wine blogger, no one was more surprised than me when I received three trade samples of Ilegal Mezcal. My level of agave experience is limited to tequila shots, margaritas, the occasional smooth Patron […]

“Once you know what you like, you’re already an expert.” This is a phrase I use all too often in the tasting room for intimidated newbies and, in many ways, I believe it. Sounds pretty simple and inviting right? Sadly, the man behind curtain would agree that there’s more to enjoying wine than simply sticking to what you’ve previously found easy and comfortable. The world of wine is dying to be discovered in each and every soul. Yes, if you’re a novice drinker and find Franzia to be smooth and elegant then that’s your prerogative. I’ll even find myself enjoying […]

By Clive Pursehouse Cognac is difficult beverage to wrap your head around and one that I came upon only recently. It’s a wine eau-de-vie, doubly distilled in copper stills and aged in very specific oak casks; it drips with historical and traditional significance, method and practice. Just when you think you might have it cornered, it often eludes and surprises you. That a drink with such origins moves so adeptly through modernity speaks to the sensuality of the beverage. It’s a true beauty, both in process and in the glass. The French region of Cognac appears on a map like […]

There’s only one thing I love more than being told I’m awesome; it’s an honest friend giving me a suggestion on how I could be more awesome. After my last blog, my good friend Mark Rogers said I fell hook, line and sinker for a common misconception within the wine industry. Mark was referring to how, while sharing a few helpful tips to make wine tasting a little more fun and enjoyable, I very briefly discussed the “legs” of wine and its ability to aid in immediately determining quality. Out of the goodness in his heart, he decided call me […]